dentist
Meaning of dentist: Much of the job is spotting disease early, from decay and gum inflammation to the first signs of oral cancer.
Definition of dentist
A dentist is a health professional licensed to diagnose, treat and help prevent problems of the teeth, gums, jaws and the rest of the mouth. The work covers examinations, fillings, extractions, replacement of missing teeth and the detection of disease in the mouth. Qualifying requires a dental school degree followed by the licensing examinations of the country of practice.
What does a general dentist do?
General dentists deliver most dental care and often see the same person over many years. The routine work includes examinations and radiographs, removing decay and placing fillings, cleaning below the gum line, taking out teeth that cannot be saved, fitting crowns, bridges and dentures, and inspecting the tongue, cheeks and palate for early signs of disease. A general dentist also judges when a problem calls for a specialist. The position resembles that of a clinician in primary care: a first point of contact who manages most of what arrives and passes the rest onward. Training runs through dental school and licensing examinations, though the route differs by country: dental school follows an undergraduate degree in some places and is entered straight from secondary school in others.
How do the dental specialties differ?
A specialist is a dentist who completed several further years of training in one area after qualifying and then works mainly inside it.
| Specialty | Focus |
|---|---|
| Orthodontics | Position of the teeth and jaws, using braces and similar devices |
| Periodontics | The gums and the bone that supports the teeth |
| Endodontics | The pulp inside the tooth, including root canal treatment |
| Oral and maxillofacial surgery | Surgery on the mouth, jaws and face |
| Prosthodontics | Replacing missing or damaged teeth |
| Pediatric dentistry | Care of children, including those with special needs |
Periodontics deals with the gums and the bone beneath them, while prosthodontics covers replacement, including the dental implant that anchors a false tooth into the jaw. Which specialties are formally recognized varies between countries.
Who else works in a dental practice?
The titles are easily confused, and the training behind each is different.
| Role | What the role involves |
|---|---|
| Dentist | Diagnoses, prescribes and carries out treatment |
| Dental hygienist | Cleans teeth and treats and monitors gum health |
| Dental assistant | Supports the dentist at the chair and prepares materials |
| Dental technician | Makes crowns, dentures and appliances in a laboratory |
Why does dental care connect to the rest of health?
The mouth is not sealed off from the body. Untreated gum disease keeps a wide surface inflamed, and that inflammation has been linked in research to diabetes, heart disease and complications in pregnancy, although association is not causation and the direction of the effect is not settled for every condition. The link with diabetes is the clearest and appears to run both ways, since poorly controlled blood sugar worsens gum disease and severe gum disease makes blood sugar harder to control. Dry mouth caused by medicines raises the risk of decay. Cancer treatment, transplant medicine and certain heart conditions each carry dental considerations of their own, which is why medical and dental teams share information rather than working in isolation.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
The dentist recommended a follow-up visit to address the area of tooth decay noted on examination.
Good to know
A general dentist provides broad preventive and restorative care, while a specialist such as an orthodontist, periodontist or oral surgeon has completed additional training focused on one aspect of oral health.
Word origin
Where “dentist” comes from
The English word came through French dentiste, from dent, meaning tooth, which traces back to Latin dens, dentis; the ending -ist marks the person who does the work.